Synthetics

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

syn•thet•ic /sɪnˈθɛtɪk/   adj. 

1. of or relating to synthesis (opposed to analytic).
2. of or relating to compounds, materials, etc., formed through a chemical process by human agency, as opposed to those of natural origin:
   synthetic drugs.
3. not real or genuine;
   artificial;
   false or pretended:
   a synthetic chuckle.

n. [countable]

4. Chemistry something made by a synthetic, or chemical, process.

syn•thet•i•cal•ly, adv. See -thes-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

syn•thet•ic  (sin thet′ik), adj. 

1. of, pertaining to, proceeding by, or involving synthesis (opposed to analytic).
2. noting or pertaining to compounds formed through a chemical process by human agency, as opposed to those of natural origin:
   synthetic vitamins; synthetic fiber.
3. Linguistics (of a language) characterized by a relatively widespread use of affixes, rather than separate words, to express syntactic relationships:
   Latin is a synthetic language, while English is analytic.
   Cf. analytic (def. 3), polysynthetic (def. 1).
4. Philosophy Also, syn•thet′i•cal. [Logic.] of or pertaining to a noncontradictory proposition in which the predicate is not included in, or entailed by, the subject.
5. not real or genuine;
   artificial;
   feigned:
   a synthetic chuckle at a poor joke.
6. Jewelry
   • noting a gem mineral manufactured so as to be physically, chemically, and optically identical with the mineral as found in nature.
   • (not in technical use) noting a gem mineral manufactured and pigmented in imitation of a natural gemstone of that name.

n. 

7. Chemistry something made by a synthetic, or chemical, process.
8. Chemistry synthetics. 
   • substances or products made by chemical synthesis, as plastics or artificial fibers.
   • the science or industry concerned with such products.

• Greek synthetikós, equivalent. to synthet(ós) placed together, verbid of syntithénai to put together (syn- syn- + the-, stem of tithénai to put, place + -tos verbid suffix) + -ikos -ic
• Neo-Latin syntheticus
• 1690–1700

syn•thet′i•cal•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 5. fake, phony, counterfeit, sham.